What if I knew the world would end tomorrow?
The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. 8 Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. 9 Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. 10 God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. 11 Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to him forever and ever! Amen. 1 Peter 4:7-11 (NLT)
Reflection
When Saint Francis was asked, “what would you do if the world were to end tomorrow, he replied, “I would plant a tree”. I think Martin Luther said the same thing. Although Francis lived, I believe in the 11th century, and Luther in the 16th, I still think Francis got it from Luther because wisdom like this usually originates in Germany doesn’t it?
Why plant a tree? Because the world never finally ends, it continues as a new earth wherein that planted tree will continue to grow.
Above is another list of spiritual gifts. Verse 11 tells us to exercise our gifts to the glory of God. And verse 10 reiterates that EACH OF US has been given a gift.
Why? To what end? Peter says, that the end of the world will be coming soon. In Biblical terms, the end of the world means the “Day of the Lord”, the day when Jesus Christ returns to finally and fully to complete the restoration, redemption, resurrection of God’s created world and believers get in on that. Notice I used the word “complete”. In other words, the “single plan of God through Israel beginning in Gen 12 and continuing through the faithful Israelite, Jesus, and through his followers (us) to heal the world” will be completed. This means it is happening right now through the church of Jesus Christ, the Body of Christ, Jesus’ followers using their giftedness to heal, restore and redeem their little part of God’s world. It’s an amazing story. A story into which each of us has been written and in which each of us has been given the gift of freely choosing to play the part we’ve been given.
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Looking forward to planting trees tomorrow in West Grove! :-)
ReplyDeleteGermany was also the source of the higher criticism of the Bible
ReplyDeletePlease provide the biblical reference where trees, water, sky, stars, ocean from this earth will survive the Apocalypse?
ReplyDeleteGod's people yes!!! but not the stuff.
Amen to the restored relationship of God and man!!!